Weather warnings now issued in Spanish

June 7, 2012|By Ken Kaye, Sun Sentinel

Just in time for hurricane season, the nearly 2 million Spanish-speaking people in Miami-Dade and Broward counties can get radio reports in Spanish of severe or stormy weather by tuning into a special station operated by the National Weather Service.

“South Florida is home to a lot of people who primarily speak Spanish, and we’ll be able to reach many more people by providing this service,” said Pablo Santos, meteorologist in charge of the Miami weather office.

South Florida is the third metropolitan region behind San Diego, Calif., and El Paso, Texas, to have dedicated transmitters aimed specifically at Spanish-speaking residents. According to the U.S. Census, about 70 percent of Miami-Dade County and southern Broward County, the station’s target area, speak Spanish as their primary language.

The broadcasts are being made over the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Weather Radio All Hazard station, at 162.500 MHz. They will be made courtesy of a new 300-watt transmitter in Hialeah.

To receive the broadcasts, you need a special receiver, available at many retail outlets including electronics, department, sporting goods and marine stores. Generally costing $50 or less, they also can be purchased online from retailers or manufacturers. The broadcasts cannot be heard on an AM-FM radio.

“South Florida residents are well served with coverage from a number of weather radio transmitters, but the new Hialeah site will be the first in the state completely dedicated to Spanish-language broadcasts,” said Bill Proenza, director of the weather service’s southern region.

In addition to severe weather bulletins, the station will provide a range of information, said weather service meteorologist Robert Molleda.

“It broadcasts current conditions, local and marine forecasts, tides, hazardous weather outlook and tropical weather outlook and hurricane advisories,” he said. “Of course, it alerts for warnings and plays those during the effective time of the warnings/watches/local advisories.”

The transmitter first went on the air April 25 and was given a 30-day test period before being dedicated during a ceremony on Thursday. Listeners who want the same information in English can tune into 162.55 MHz or, on some receivers, channel 7.